Understanding the relationship between heterogeneity, biodiversity and ecosystem function is an active focus of ecological research that has direct applications to the formulation of sustainable, science-based, watershed conservation plans. Here, I applied ecological theory on heterogeneity to the expansion of North American beaver to test hypotheses about physical habitat and fish biodiversity at a riverscape scale. To test these hypotheses (Chapter 4), I first addressed two methodological issues (Chapter 2, 3). By evaluating three types of gear at three levels of effort in a randomized block design over 4 replicate days, I show that 10 minnow traps, 2 hoop nets and 20 m of electrofishing captured most fish species within a 30-m sampling area (Chapter 2). Multiple statistical measures provided similar information, therefore I used general indices (richness, diversity), ecological guilds (flow based), and select multivariate analyses (DCA) to summarize fish communities (Chapter 3). I used these methodological insights to test ecological hypotheses by collecting habitat and fish data at all beaver dams (n = 15) and select control sites (n = 9) in Fish Brook, a coastal watershed in northeastern Massachusetts. From these data, I gained six basic and applied insights. First, beaver dams were distributed throughout the stream network. Second, at a local scale, beaver dams created more habitat heterogeneity than control sites. Specifically, beaver dams created four types of habitat alterations based on upstream-downstream differences in stream width, depth, velocity, and substrate. Third, richness and diversity of fish species around beaver dams were linked to habitat heterogeneity. Fourth, the mechanisms by which beaver dams altered fish biodiversity were mediated through habitat changes at the beaver dam patch boundary. Upstream of the dam macrohabitat guilds occupied the lentic areas, while below dams, fluvial fish guilds used shallow, faster water. Fifth, fluvial species responded the most dramatically to these habitat changes. Finally, in a system depauperate of lotic habitat, fluvial habitats created below beaver dams provided an important refuge for native stream fish. These source areas can increase resiliency and maintaining them may be useful for sustainable watershed conservation plans in these types of systems.

Over the past thirty-five years, anthropogenic disturbances around Bayou Lacombe have altered its fish assemblage. In 2005, the impact of Hurricane Katrina on southeast Louisiana presented me with a unique opportunity to explore the effects of a catastrophic storm on the Bayou. I explored the effects of natural and human disturbances on the Bayou's fish assemblage by electrofishing six historically sampled stations. My research goals were to determine: 1) which Bayou Lacombe fish assemblages were most resilient to the multiple effects of Hurricane Katrina, 2) if there were significant differences in the Bayou's fish assemblages over the past 35 years based on historical fish assemblage data, and 3) what are the drivers of fish assemblage change in Bayou Lacombe. I found significant differences in upstream fish assemblages before and after Hurricane Katrina in the Bayou. I also documented the disappearance of nearly all cyprinid species over the past 35 years.

Hurricanes can temporarily disrupt seasonal patterns of fish assemblage change or result in permanent changes in fish assemblages. I studied the effects of two hurricanes on fish assemblages at the Chandeleur Islands and the possible influence that storm-generated tidal channels may have on the composition of local fish assemblages. I also compared recently collected data to historic ichthyofaunal survey data collected over thirty years ago at the Chandeleur Islands. Near shore fish assemblages changed the most after hurricanes but changes in species composition were primarily due to increases in abundance and diversity. During July 2007 there was no significant difference between fish assemblages in channel and seagrass habitats, although significant differences among wash-over channels existed. Loss of habitat and the increased intensity and frequency of recent storms may explain why current fish assemblages at the Chandeleur Islands are less diverse (as measured by taxonomic distinctness) than assemblages collected during 1969-1971.

A bacia do rio Piracicaba tem recebido atenção especial das autoridades municipais, pois possui grandes problemas de aproveitamento de seus recursos hídricos. A bacia do rio Corumbataí, um dos principais afluentes da margem direita do rio Piracicaba, é regionalmente importante, não só porque ainda possui águas de boa qualidade, mas também por apresentar elementos raros na paisagem do interior do estado. Esta tese teve o objetivo de caracterizar as assembléias de peixes na bacia do rio Corumbataí e fornecer ferramentas para avaliação de seu status ambiental. Foram escolhidos 4 rios principais com 3 pontos de coleta em cada um. Foram realizadas coletas no período de março a junho e setembro a dezembro de 2001, totalizando 24 coletas. Os dados bióticos foram avaliados através de medidas de diversidade. Para testar a hipótese de variação espaço-temporal da assembléia de peixes foi aplicado o modelo linear ANCOVA onde a variável resposta foi a riqueza de espécies; o fator foi ordem do rio; sendo utilizadas 2 covariáveis ambientais: temperatura e número de indivíduos, revelando uma variação espaço-temporal e padrões reconhecidos no meio acadêmico: relação espécie-área e conceito de rio contínuo. Técnicas multivariadas foram aplicadas para determinar a correlação entre a riqueza e a paisagem no entorno do ponto de coleta, revelando que existem mais espécies em locais com maior cobertura vegetal e mata ciliar preservada. Algumas espécies de peixes se mostraram bons indicadores ambientais: Hypostomus strigaticeps, Hoplosternum littorale e Salminus hilarii; por outro lado o Astyanax altiparanae não se mostrou um bom indicador / The Piracicaba river basin has received special attention from local authorities because it has presented a lot of problems about the misutilization of its hydric resources. The Corumbataí river basin, one of the major streams of the right side of the Piracicaba river, is regionally important, not only because it still has good water quality but also because it has unique elements inside the landscape of São Paulo state. This thesis aims to characterize the fish assemblage of the Corumbataí river basin and provide tools to assess the present environmental status of the basin. It has been chosen 4 major streams with 3 unit samples in each one of the streams. The samples were carried out from March to June and from September to December in the year of 2001, making up a total of 24 samples. The biotic data were assessed using diversity measurement. An ANCOVA was used to test the hypothesis of time-space variation of the fish assemblage, where the dependent variable was the species richness; the factor was the stream order and 2 environmental co-variates were used: temperature and number of individuals, thus revealing both time-space variation and some patterns which are recognized academically: species-area relationship and river continuum concept (RCC). Multivariate techniques were used to determine the correlation between richness and the landscape characteristics in the sampling unit, revealing that there is a greater number of species along the sites with a larger riparian zone. Some fish species have showed to be a good indicator: Hypostomus strigaticeps, Hoplosternum littorale and Salminus hilarii; on the other hand Astyanax altiparanae has not showed to be a good indicator species

In the Oueme River, a lowland river in Benin, Africa, artificial ponds constructed in the floodplain (whedos) are colonized during the high-water period by a presumably random sample of fishes from the river channel. As water slowly recedes from the floodplain, fishes are isolated in whedos until they are harvested near the end of the dry season. I surveyed fishes in whedos and adjacent main-channel and floodplain habitats during two low-water (2008 and 2009) and one falling-water (2010-2011) periods, and measured a suite of physicochemical variables including dissolved oxygen, temperature, specific conductivity, and percent cover of aquatic vegetation in the falling-water period to investigate if fish assemblage structure of whedos resulted from stochastic or deterministic processes. I also investigated food web structure of whedos by analyzing carbon (delta13C) and nitrogen (delta15N) stable isotope ratios of fish and primary producer tissue samples, and samples of net primary production, soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), NH4+, NO2-, and NO3- collected during the falling-water period. Whedos were covered with dense growth of aquatic vegetation, and dissolved oxygen concentrations were lower in whedos compared to a natural floodplain depression and the main channel. Multivariate analyses revealed that habitat types were distinct with regard to fish assemblage structure and abiotic conditions. Assemblages in whedos and natural floodplain depressions were differentiated from those of the river channel, with the floodplain habitats being dominated by piscivorous fishes that tolerate aquatic hypoxia. These results indicate that fish assemblage structure of whedos was influenced by deterministic processes during the falling- and low-water periods when these water bodies were isolated. Floodplain habitats were more nutrient-rich than the river channel, and whedos were net heterotrophic. Microphytobenthos and C3 macrophytes accounted for a large fraction of fish biomass in whedos, compared with the river channel, which was mainly supported by seston. Whedo food webs had fewer trophic transfers compared to the food web of the river channel.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:30:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-12-19Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:00:50Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 araujo_rb_dr_jabo.pdf: 1067716 bytes, checksum: 706c3ec31777349a033e768e87ccffee (MD5) / Na planície de inundação do alto rio Paraná, lagoas marginais são viveiros naturais de espécies comercialmente importantes e habitat preferencial de peixes sedentários e de pequeno porte. No presente estudo, foram investigadas a composição e a abundância de comunidades de peixes em lagoas marginais (temporárias e permanentes) sazonalmente isoladas do rio Turvo, incluindo alterações qualitativas e quantitativas nas estações seca e chuvosa e sua relação com fatores ambientais. O material foi coletado em ambas as estações em seis lagoas marginais. As comunidades de peixes foram analisadas por meio de riqueza de espécies, diversidade e equitabilidade, similaridade qualitativa e quantitativa, e associações ecológicas entre amostras, espécies e variáveis ambientais. Foi registrado um total de 7.456 exemplares, distribuídos em 52 espécies, 40 gêneros, 19 famílias, e cinco ordens. As espécies mais abundantes foram Astyanax altiparanae, Serrapinnus heterodon, Liposarcus anisitsi, Hyphessobrycon eques, and Moenkahausia intermedia. A análise de agrupamento mostrou baixa similaridade entre as lagoas, sugerindo heterogeneidade desses ambientes. A composição e abundância das comunidades de peixes nas lagoas estudadas mostraram acentuada sazonalidade, sendo maiores os valores de riqueza e abundância obtidos na estação chuvosa. A análise de correspondência canônica revelou que temperatura da água, alcalinidade e abundância de anfíbios foram significativamente associadas à estrutura da ictiofauna. / In the Upper Paraná River floodplain, marginal lagoons are natural nurseries of commercially important fish species and preferential habitat of sedentary and small-sized fish species. The composition and abundance of fish communities in seasonally isolated lagoons (temporary and permanent) of the rio Turvo, qualitative and quantitative changes in the dry and rainy seasons, as well as relationship with environmental factors, were investigated. The material was sampled in both seasons in six marginal lagoons. The ichthyofauna was studied through species richness, diversity, evenness, qualitative and quantitative similarities, and ecological associations between the samples and species along an environmental gradient. A total of 7,457 specimens, distributed among 52 species, 40 genera, 19 families, and five orders, were recorded. The most abundant species were Astyanax altiparanae, Serrapinnus heterodon, Liposarcus anisitsi, Hyphessobrycon eques, and Moenkahausia intermedia. Cluster analysis showed a low similarity among lagoons suggesting heterogeneity of these environments. The composition and abundance of fish communities in the studied marginal lagoons showed a remarkable seasonality, with highest values of species richness and abundance obtained in the rainy season. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that the water temperature, alkalinity, and amphibian abundance were significantly associated with the ichthyofauna structure.

Orientador: Francisco Langeani Neto / Banca: Oscar Akio Shibatta / Banca: Lilian Casatti / Banca: Antonio Fernando Monteiro Camargo / Banca: Luiz Henrique Florindo / Resumo: Na planície de inundação do alto rio Paraná, lagoas marginais são viveiros naturais de espécies comercialmente importantes e habitat preferencial de peixes sedentários e de pequeno porte. No presente estudo, foram investigadas a composição e a abundância de comunidades de peixes em lagoas marginais (temporárias e permanentes) sazonalmente isoladas do rio Turvo, incluindo alterações qualitativas e quantitativas nas estações seca e chuvosa e sua relação com fatores ambientais. O material foi coletado em ambas as estações em seis lagoas marginais. As comunidades de peixes foram analisadas por meio de riqueza de espécies, diversidade e equitabilidade, similaridade qualitativa e quantitativa, e associações ecológicas entre amostras, espécies e variáveis ambientais. Foi registrado um total de 7.456 exemplares, distribuídos em 52 espécies, 40 gêneros, 19 famílias, e cinco ordens. As espécies mais abundantes foram Astyanax altiparanae, Serrapinnus heterodon, Liposarcus anisitsi, Hyphessobrycon eques, and Moenkahausia intermedia. A análise de agrupamento mostrou baixa similaridade entre as lagoas, sugerindo heterogeneidade desses ambientes. A composição e abundância das comunidades de peixes nas lagoas estudadas mostraram acentuada sazonalidade, sendo maiores os valores de riqueza e abundância obtidos na estação chuvosa. A análise de correspondência canônica revelou que temperatura da água, alcalinidade e abundância de anfíbios foram significativamente associadas à estrutura da ictiofauna. / Abstract: In the Upper Paraná River floodplain, marginal lagoons are natural nurseries of commercially important fish species and preferential habitat of sedentary and small-sized fish species. The composition and abundance of fish communities in seasonally isolated lagoons (temporary and permanent) of the rio Turvo, qualitative and quantitative changes in the dry and rainy seasons, as well as relationship with environmental factors, were investigated. The material was sampled in both seasons in six marginal lagoons. The ichthyofauna was studied through species richness, diversity, evenness, qualitative and quantitative similarities, and ecological associations between the samples and species along an environmental gradient. A total of 7,457 specimens, distributed among 52 species, 40 genera, 19 families, and five orders, were recorded. The most abundant species were Astyanax altiparanae, Serrapinnus heterodon, Liposarcus anisitsi, Hyphessobrycon eques, and Moenkahausia intermedia. Cluster analysis showed a low similarity among lagoons suggesting heterogeneity of these environments. The composition and abundance of fish communities in the studied marginal lagoons showed a remarkable seasonality, with highest values of species richness and abundance obtained in the rainy season. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that the water temperature, alkalinity, and amphibian abundance were significantly associated with the ichthyofauna structure. / Doutor

The Chabarovice coal mining pit arose by flooding the former strip mine area for brown coal. After filling, the pit area should reach about 225 hectare, total volume of water 34.4 mil. m3, average depth 15,6 meters with maximum of 23,3meters. It is assumed that the pond and adjacent areas will be used for recreation usage after completion of recultivation and ground shaping. I have performed the investigations in June and in August 2004 - 2005, using basic ichthyological methods. The data about recruitment were collected by the littoral seine net and adult fish (older than one year) were investigated by gillnets nets. Fish was determinated to genus, individually measured by slide caliper (fry) and by measuring plate (adult fish). The lenght of fish body (SL-standart lenght) was measured in millimeters and fish were weighted separately (W v g). In the year 2005, also scales were taken from individual fish for the age assesment. Obtained data were processed with regard to performed biomanipulation measures in individual sectores. Nine fish species and one hybrid were recorded by the monitoring with gillnets nets. The most numerous fish were juveniles and adults of rudd with SL 74 {--} 300 mm and the weight up to 618 g. The fish species with the strongest impact upon the pit ecosystem function is conitnuously the perch with the dominance of individuals with SL 46 to 337 mm and weight zup to 850 g.

A bacia do rio Piracicaba tem recebido atenção especial das autoridades municipais, pois possui grandes problemas de aproveitamento de seus recursos hídricos. A bacia do rio Corumbataí, um dos principais afluentes da margem direita do rio Piracicaba, é regionalmente importante, não só porque ainda possui águas de boa qualidade, mas também por apresentar elementos raros na paisagem do interior do estado. Esta tese teve o objetivo de caracterizar as assembléias de peixes na bacia do rio Corumbataí e fornecer ferramentas para avaliação de seu status ambiental. Foram escolhidos 4 rios principais com 3 pontos de coleta em cada um. Foram realizadas coletas no período de março a junho e setembro a dezembro de 2001, totalizando 24 coletas. Os dados bióticos foram avaliados através de medidas de diversidade. Para testar a hipótese de variação espaço-temporal da assembléia de peixes foi aplicado o modelo linear ANCOVA onde a variável resposta foi a riqueza de espécies; o fator foi ordem do rio; sendo utilizadas 2 covariáveis ambientais: temperatura e número de indivíduos, revelando uma variação espaço-temporal e padrões reconhecidos no meio acadêmico: relação espécie-área e conceito de rio contínuo. Técnicas multivariadas foram aplicadas para determinar a correlação entre a riqueza e a paisagem no entorno do ponto de coleta, revelando que existem mais espécies em locais com maior cobertura vegetal e mata ciliar preservada. Algumas espécies de peixes se mostraram bons indicadores ambientais: Hypostomus strigaticeps, Hoplosternum littorale e Salminus hilarii; por outro lado o Astyanax altiparanae não se mostrou um bom indicador / The Piracicaba river basin has received special attention from local authorities because it has presented a lot of problems about the misutilization of its hydric resources. The Corumbataí river basin, one of the major streams of the right side of the Piracicaba river, is regionally important, not only because it still has good water quality but also because it has unique elements inside the landscape of São Paulo state. This thesis aims to characterize the fish assemblage of the Corumbataí river basin and provide tools to assess the present environmental status of the basin. It has been chosen 4 major streams with 3 unit samples in each one of the streams. The samples were carried out from March to June and from September to December in the year of 2001, making up a total of 24 samples. The biotic data were assessed using diversity measurement. An ANCOVA was used to test the hypothesis of time-space variation of the fish assemblage, where the dependent variable was the species richness; the factor was the stream order and 2 environmental co-variates were used: temperature and number of individuals, thus revealing both time-space variation and some patterns which are recognized academically: species-area relationship and river continuum concept (RCC). Multivariate techniques were used to determine the correlation between richness and the landscape characteristics in the sampling unit, revealing that there is a greater number of species along the sites with a larger riparian zone. Some fish species have showed to be a good indicator: Hypostomus strigaticeps, Hoplosternum littorale and Salminus hilarii; on the other hand Astyanax altiparanae has not showed to be a good indicator species

For marine fishes, the early larval phase is considered a critical stage for survivorship and recruitment. The spatial and temporal dynamics of larval fish assemblages can influence their success and trophic structure of marine communities and entire ecosystems. This thesis will provide the first characterization of larval fish assemblage in the Strait of Georgia (SoG) in terms of diversity, abundance and composition, and their variability over multiple temporal scales, as well as the first quantification of variability in larval fish distribution in the SoG across multiple spatial scales. On the interdecadal scale, a significant decrease in larval abundance of several dominant fish taxa (Pacific hake, walleye Pollock, northern smoothtongue and rockfishes) contributed to a decline in total larval abundance and turnover in the composition structure between the early 1980s and the late 2000s. In contrast, both abundance and the relative composition of flatfishes and several demersal forage fish taxa increased during the same period. On interannual scales, abundance, diversity and community structure of the spring larval assemblages varied dramatically through 2007-2010, a period which alternated between strong La Niña and El Niño events. Higher overall larval concentrations were associated with warm conditions in the SoG in 2007 and 2010, while the lowest larval concentration was associated with cooler condition in 2009. Examination of associations between larval fish assemblages and environmental fluctuations suggests a potential influence of large-scale climate processes between the early 1980s and the late 2000s, but a primary association with local environmental factors on interannual scales. Spatial patterns in larval density of three dominant fish taxa (Pacific herring, Pacific hake and northern smoothtongue) were mostly structured on predefined broad (> 40km) and medium (20~40km) scales. Although their scale-dependent associations with environmental factors varied interannually, larval distributions in the central-southern SoG were generally associated with salinity, temperature and vertical stability of water column in the upper layer (0-50m). Our results emphasize the role of local estuarine circulation in structuring hierarchical spatial distributions of planktonic fish larvae in the SoG. These findings will provide considerable implications in fisheries resource management and conservation strategies. / Graduate / 0416 / 0329 / guanlu129@gmail.com